Instep-arch support.



W. M. SCHOLL.

INSTEP ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 1914.

Patente I 2113 13%., 295.53

t tons-toe, or the result of a WILLIAM M. SCROLL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS means-neon screen s.

messes.

Specification of Letters I atent.

Patented July is, isle,

Application filed April 25, 1914. Serial No. 834,440.

To all whom it may] concern:

.Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. Sonora, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of llinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lnstep-Arch Supports, of which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to improvements in instep arch supports and in some of its features more particularly to arch supports operating to elevate the transverse arch of the metatarsal bones for correction of Morbreaking down of such transverse arch;

In most arch supports that involve a metal supporting element, made of one or more parts, and a leather cover piece, the metallic support does not extend clear to the heel extremity of the cover piece. There are many apparent reasons for this shortening of the metallic supports, of which one of the most obvious, is that in different shoes there is .matterof diiliculty.

tion of a brolzen transverse arch such variation in the angular relation of the inner surfaces of the shank and heel of the shoe as to make shaping of the met'allicplate structure to conform to such variations :1

- One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved structure wherein the metallic elements extend flexibly clear to the rear end of the'cover piece, for purposes 'described; and in general to provide an arch support, particularly adapted for the correcof the metatarsal bones.

in the drawings Figure l is bottom plan. view of an arch support embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 of l ig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section. online of Fig 1.

In the particular embodiment of m invention shown I have illustrated the metallie main element 10 as a single plate, which, generically speaking, is one well known form of metallic supporting element. It will be apparent, however, that some of thefeatures of my present invention may be applied to other forms of arch supporting ele-' ments without departure from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended. claims. I

The plate 10, as herein shown is of. a

length to extend from a rear bearing point 11, which preferably lies about centrally be-' neath the heel of the wearers foot, forward a 'cent to its front end.

' metatarsal bones, tends to .weight of the to a point approximately ali'ning with the heads of the metatarsal bones, and affording relatively Wide front bearingat its end 12.

The arch plate 10 is longitudinally curved to span the shank of the shoe and receive bearing only at its ends. The rear end 11 is preferably curved substantially in semi'circle, and is preferably dished as at 13 in approximate conformity with the under curvature of the heel. The front end 12 is m'eferably curved on a line substantially conforming with the line of the foot defined by the heads ofthe metatarsal bones. zln the particular construction shown the supporting function of the plate is affected mainly adja- In addition to the general curvatures of the plate thatg'ive it substantial conformity to the contiguous portions of the foot, a hump or node 15 is provided, located to underlie the metatarsal bonesof'the foot between the first and fifth,

and in the particular construction shown such hump or node is made in the single plate 10. Such supplemental hump, 15, pressing against the flesh and ligaments of the foot and transmitting its plQSSul'B to the raise the center of the transverse arch of the foot, restoring the foot to its normal condition in which the on a tripod bearing: afforded by the os calsis person is carried substantially and the first and fifth n'ietatarsal bones. The

action of such hump elevates the intermediate mctatarsals, or such thereof as it undcrl-ies,'and through its action on the ligan'ients tends to draw down or inward somewhat the first and fifth metataisals, thereby so to position the bones that pressure, in walking. is not applied to the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones, and so that the pain caused by the breaking down of the transverse arch is obviated.

It will be. apparent that any form of arch support involving thev supplemental hump support of the transverse arch must be accurately positioned in the shoe for proper efi'ect. If the hump is too far baclqits effect is seriously decreased and adequate support is not given to the affected bones and ligaments. Furthermore, it will be manifest that such auxiliary hump. construction gives to the arch support a special tendency to creep rearwardly in the shoe on account of the sharp inclination of the front end of the hump 15,

shoe or to form ridges under the heel of the usefulness or to the leather cover-piece wearer.

In the arch support shown, as is'common in most arch supports, a leather cover piece 18 secured to the plate by means of rivets 19 is provided, shaped to inter-fit with the bottom surface of the shoe from the heel to the ball thereof, and having its front end skived for comfort. The rear end of such cover piece is customarily relied upon for positioning the arch upport lengthwise of the shoe; but in practice it is found that the leather is apt to soften under the heat and moisture of the foot and the arch support structure is liable to creep rearwardly, buckling the leather under the heel, causing the leather either to curl up in the back of tiile t e in any event, detracting from the appliance and causing great discomfort to its wearer.

In the practice of my invention I apply to the extension 18 of the leather cover wearer; and

piece which projects in rear of the main plate 10, a metallic positioning plate 20, secured to the leather cover piece, independent of and flexibly movable with respect to the metallic arch supporting member 10,

said heel plate'20 extending from a rear-.

most point substantially conforming with the rear extremity of the cover piece to a point or points of contact with the rear end of the main arch plate. Part 20 thus forms a positioning brace, as it were, between the heel counter of the shoe and the main arch plate 10, but without detracting from the ability of said main arch supporting structure to take the position in the shoe that is required by the relative curvatures of the shank and heel seat.

The plate shown, is preferably made of aluminum or other light metal substantially of the same thickness as the contiguous plate portion of the main arch supporting element, and dished for conformity with the heel of the It is preferably shaped for substantial conformity the end curvatures of the leather cover piece 18 so that it may conform approximately to the curve of the shoe counter and at its forward edge it is curved in substantial conformity with' the rear end 11 of the plate 10. The plate 20 thus takes a crescent shape having a chord from tip to tip greater than the width of the heel part of the main arch plate. Rivets 21, preferably located in the tips of the crescent, secure the plate 20 18 independently of the main arch plate 10, the flexibility of the leather of course permitting the heel plate 20 to lie' on the heel sea-t whatever position the main plate 10 may take in effecting its two point bearing at its opposite ends, spanning the shank of the shoe. Also it will be observed that in practice the two portions of the'metallicstru cture afford subinstep and terminating 20 in the specific construetionthroughout its edge with stantially uniform bearing to the whole heel of the foot, so that no uncomfortable break 'in the leather occurs. The rear bearing afforded byplate 20 prevents the hump 15 from shifting rearwardly, and the dished heel socket provided jointly by .the portions 13-20 of the structure tends to prevent displacement of the foot with respect tothe structure.

While I have herein described. in some detail a particular embodiment of my in- I vention it will be apparent tothose skilled I in the art that changes in the details thereof might be made without departure from my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim is: I

1. In an arch support, a leather cover piece arranged to interfit ina shoe and to extend from the rear extremity of the shoe to in front of the shank thereof, a main arch structure secured to said cover plate, arranged to underlie the-shank of a human at its rear end in front of the rear extremity of the cover piece, and a metallic heel plate attached to said cover piece independently of said main the combination of ing from said curved end of the main arch support to substantially the rear extremity of the cover piece, said plate 20 and the rear end of the arch-support element having jointly a dished heel-socket.

fl. In an arch support, a leather cove piece arranged to interfit in a shoe and to extend from the rear extremity of the shoe arranged to fit snugly above said general curvature for affording support to the metatarsal Mortons toe and a meto in front ofthe shank thereof, a main arch 13G at the ends of the crescent and extending from said curved end of the main arch l v structure to.substantin11y the rear extremity 10 of the cover piece. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

v WILLIAM M. SCHOLL 1n the presence ef- (1010.11 LL\Y,@II\, MARY F. A/LLES. 

